Artemy Mukhin (US) – Defiance
Artemy Mukhin about his piano piece “Defiance”:
“In “Defiance” I wanted to convey some of Beethoven’s feelings about the events of his life and his defiant spirit.
First and foremost I organized the piece in small sections to make it easier to follow the events. Measures 1 – 13 set the background for a listener. A very mellow and thoughtful theme is set in these opening measures. Next, I transition my listeners into a beautiful dreamy section which represents Beethoven’s great successes and his recognition as a leading composer of his time. It is at this point that Beethoven starts noticing that he cannot hear as well as he could before, but he dismisses this and learns to live with the hearing loss. At measure 30 an observant listener can hear some distant bells
in the right hand. This is Beethoven strolling down the countryside outside Vienna, where he felt free and least burdened by his growing deafness. The distant bells help me paint the countryside, and also convey a feeling of his eternal loneliness. At around measure 36 Beethoven gets more and more alarmed about his condition. Doctors tell him, that he would become completely deaf unless he reduces his musical activity significantly and rests. Hopefully listeners can hear these emotional waves that create fear inside of Beethoven’s free and defiant nature. But Beethoven never stopped composing because he lived in his music. After the final dramatic crescendo, starting at measure 64 the sounds of the world gradually leave Beethoven and he is engulfed in silence.”
Special thanks to Jon Deak and Jessica Mays (The New York Philharmonic Very Young Composers, USA) for guidance and support.
“Defiance” – in concert:
12th August 2019 – world premiere – Beethoven-Denkmal Münsterplatz, Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
9th September 2019 – Historisches Gemeindezentrum Bonn – Susanne Kessel, piano
Artemy Mukhin (*2005)
Artemy Mukhin is a young composer and pianist from New York City. He is currently an Honors Composition student of Dr. Steven Sacco at Mannes Prep.
Artemy’s “String Quartet” has been named one of 2017 Honors Compositions by the New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA). It was featured at the Young Composers Concert during NYSSMA Winter Conference in December 2017. Artemy’s composition “Revolving Planet” for piano received Honorable Mention in NYSSMA 2018; it was sent to Rio de Janeiro as a musical postcard expressing New York Philharmonic’s Very Young Composers’ program sympathies and solidarity after the disastrous fire at the National Museum of Brazil.
Artemy is also a competitive squash player whose highest achieved junior ranking was number 3 in the US Squash BU11, and top 20 in BU13.
In his spare time Artemy enjoys playing video games, traveling, skiing, performing magic card tricks, and helping his sister Alice create memorable videos.